Most of the cycling world will be transfixed by the start of the Vuelta a Espana on Saturday, but the 24th edition of the EuroEeyes Cyclassics Hamburg runs on Sunday in Germany, over a 224 km course designed for sprinters.
There will be a fraternal feeling to this race – at least as the start – as eight former medal winners are in the field, including the winners of six of the last seven editions and 13 of the 15 medals awarded over the past five years:
● Alexander Kristoff (NOR) ~ Winner in 2014; second in 2015; third in 2013-18
● Andre Greipel (GER) ~ Winner in 2015; second in 2012-13
● Arnaud Demare (FRA) ~ Winner in 2012; second in 2017-18
● Elia Viviani (ITA) ~ Winner in 2017-18
● Caleb Ewan (AUS) ~ Winner in 2016
● Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) ~ Second in 2014, third in 2012-15-16
● Mark Renshaw (AUS) ~ Second in 2008
● Dylan Groenewegen (NED) ~ Third in 2017
With his wins over the past two years, Viviani tied American Tyler Farrar (2009-10) as the only person to win this race more than once. But there are plenty of candidates to tie them.
The course is quite flat, starting at 6 m up and never rising to more than 73 m during the final, five-loop finish into Hamburg’s center.
This is the first of four races that will take place while La Vuelta is ongoing. The Bretagne Classic Ouest-France comes on 1 September and then the two Canadian races in Quebec on 13-15 September, also the closing weekend of La Vuelta.
Look for the results from Hamburg here.